Fashionista With a Conscience

Melbourne Fashion – Op Shop Challenge 2016

When St Vincent De Paul asked me to assist them in spreading the word about the good work they do, it was an instant ‘YES!’. They’ve challenged me to wear op-shop clothing for two weeks! What a breeze that would be as I love op-shopping and am aiming to contribute as much as I can to charities.

Melbourne Fashion – The Vinnies Op Shop Challenge

As a fashion blogger, it’s hard to always come up with new, fresh and stylish looks without spending a fortune. With op-shops such as St Vincent De Paul, I’m able to create so many different outfits without the guilt of spending too much while also keeping my carbon footprint down. You may be surprised to know that a lot of my blog posts already feature op shop clothing!

Like everyone else, I do love and will purchase some of the latest fashion. If I balance this out with recycled clothing, I’m doing some good. Ideally, I’d like to create a wardrobe which is mostly filled with recycled clothing and purchase much less of the new stuff to help contribute to a more sustainable future. When we all consider how our purchases affect us in the long term, our world will be a better place for generations to come.

#newyearnewstyle

It’s surprising that a lot of people still have the perception that op-shops are daggy. Some of them are! Not all op-shops are equal but they all aim at raising money for the needy. There’s an op-shop to suit everyone. For those who are after high-end second-hand items, there are also recycle boutiques which aren’t cheap but will offer well-known labels at a heavily discounted price.

Where to find the best items in Melbourne Op Shops?

The items you will find will depend on the area in which an op-shop is located and who is running the store. Consider the demographics surrounding the area of the op-shop and you’ll find one to suit you. Luckily for me, I’m surrounded by people with similar taste as myself! That makes is so easy to find items which I love and suit me.

So the brief was to wear only op-shop clothing for two weeks (10 pieces of clothing from Vinnies stores). Um, it wasn’t as easy as expected because I chose the most gorgeous dresses which you just couldn’t wear everyday! Some you could, but there were some which are only for special occasions and I just didn’t have enough of them to go to within a two week span. Instead, I’ve chosen to show you how you can maintain a glamorous wardrobe on such a little budget, so there’s no need to spend a fortune to look great for any special event!

Outfits:

Outfit 1:

How could I go past this sweet little black dress with lace detailing (in excellent condition) from one of my favourite Australian labels – Keepsake The Label. A little black dress like this is timeless. It’s a little bit lacy, a little bit short, a little bit revealing but still has a whole lot of class.

Outfit 2:

You can’t go wrong with a black maxi dress. This one is from Cotton On and is super comfy to wear. Dress it up for a night out or dress it down to chill at a bbq. I can see this dress getting a lot of wear.

Label – Cotton On

Cost – $6

Outfit 3:

This body hugging, backless floral number with little sleeves in scuba fabric is sweet and sexy. I have a few The Fifth Label pieces already and I like their quality of clothing. They are figure-hugging pieces which are easy to wear.

Label – The Fifth Label

Cost – $7

Outfit 4:

It’s another black dress, from Country Road. It looks like a sack but looks quite stylish on. This dress was my pick for a brunch in the city with a friend. Country Road has great quality clothes but you’ll never find a dress like this in store for the price I paid for it!

Label – Country Road

Cost – $10

Outfit 5:

Shift dresses are my favourite type of dresses. Belted or unbelted can give them a totally different look! They’re comfy and stylish. The one I found at Vinnies is a mix of black sheer fabric overlay which had to be worn with a slip underneath.

Label – Threadz

Cost – $7

Outfit 6:

This isn’t normally my type of dress but it looked so cute on and I knew we’d be able to created some nice photos with it. With it’s very short length, it’s plunging neckline and side cut-outs – this dress is not for everyone. It’s a super cute party dress but I thought to myself, if Anna Della Russo (Japan Vogue editor) can do it, so can I!

Outfit 7:

The lovely pink floral shirt is versatile. Wear it with a skirt, shorts or jeans. Roll up the sleeves and button dow the front for a casual, yet elegant look. (Photos still to come).

Label: Ezibuy

Cost: $6

Outfit 8:

You can’t go wrong with a cute black dress like this one from Topshop. It’s an evening dress, versatile for many different occasions. I don’t wear a lot of babydoll styles, preferring more figure hugging dresses, but this is cute for a change. (Photos still to come).

Label: Topshop

Cost: $12

Your opinion about Op shops in Melbourne?

So there you go! Have I changed your opinion of op shops? Every piece featured here is something which I am happy to wear. They’re pretty young and fresh looks from quality brands. There’s so much stuff in Vinnies stores so it would be tough if you couldn’t find something which suits you.

For those who are still not keen on op shops, do a great thing and donate your unwanted or items you have no use for! Vinnies does a fantastic job of helping the community and they need as much support as they can get.

I’d love to hear about your op shop finds so feel free to let me know about them in the comments section below! Happy bargain hunting!

About The Author

I am Souri - an Australian blogger and photographer from Melbourne. I love Melbourne, fashion & photography. I usually photograph weddings & creative portraits but sometimes I just do a little shoot for this blog.
Please browse around my blog and find some stunning pictures. It is not only an Australian fashion or photography blog, My aim here is to put a smile on your face. Inspire you.
Check out the "about me" section when you want to learn more.